German Names

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German Names

Many people of German descent want the name they choose for their son or daughter to reflect their heritage. German-Americans are one of the largest ethnic groups in the United States, so it is no surprise that German names are popular choices amongst parents.

In this article, you will find lists of German names for boys and girls, the meaning of each name, a brief history of the name, famous people with the same name, variations of the name, and variations on spelling. Each of these factors will be useful in selecting the right German name for your child.

With a little research, you'll find the perfect German name for your baby.

German naming customs have changed greatly through the centuries. Up until the 16th century, both saints’ names and pagan names were used. After the Counter-Reformation, Lutherans used only saints’ names found in the Bible. This changed in the later 1500s, when it became customary to add a secular name to the Christian name. And in the 1600s, children were given two baptismal names. Single names and double names continued to go back and forth in popularity.

Some families adopted a detailed naming pattern. For example, the first-born son would be named after his father’s father, and the second-born son would be named after his mother’s father. Today, traditional German names have given way to more “international,” or widely popular, names.

There are several things to consider when choosing a German name for your baby. If you are selecting a name to reflect your heritage, you’ll want to know the history behind the name. You’ll want to consider whether the name is common today, or whether it is old-fashioned. Other helpful things to know are nicknames, variations on spelling, and famous people who have the same name. If you choose to name your child after a well-known German person, consider whether this person has a positive or negative reputation, and how this will affect your child.

With a little research and some careful thought, you will be able to find the perfect German name for your baby. This article is a great place to begin your search.

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German Boys Names

If you're looking for a German boys name, this list can help. It contains 30 popular German boys names, ranging from Alexander to Walter.

Alexander	Derek	Hank	Leonard	Paul
Bergen	Emery	Henry	Louis	Richard
Bernard	Ernest	Johann	Luca	Roderick
Burke	Ellery	Jonas	Lukas	Roger
Conrad	Felix	Lance	Maximilian	Tim
David	Frederick	Leon	Merrill	Walter

Go to the next page to find 30 popular German girls names.

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German Girls Names

There are a number of German girls names from which to choose. The following list narrows the field and highlights 30 of the most popular German girls names.

Alice	Emily	Heidi	Lena	Marie
Anna	Emma	Johanna	Leonie	Marlene
Aubrey	Erika	Katharina	Leyna	Maud
Ava	Frieda	Kerstin	Lorraine	Morgen
Caroline	Giselle	Laura	Louise	Olinda
Elisabeth	Gretchen	Lea	Maria	Sophie

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Baby Names: Meaning and Origin of the Name Anna

Latin variation of Anne and Hannah. This is the standard form of Anne in most Slavic and Germanic languages. Anna was second only to Mary as a name for girls born in the United States between 1875 and 1899. It has never been as common in Britain. Anna dropped off to just under the top 100 rank for girls in the 1950s and 1960s, but around 1972 it began to get popular again. Since then Anna has had one of the steadiest rises in use of any girls name. More than 8,885 Annas were born in the United States in 2005, which ranked the name 23rd that year. The tragic heroine of Leo Tolstoy's novel Anna Karenina is probably the best-known Anna in literature.

Famous names: Anna Kournikova (tennis player), Anna Pavlova (ballerina), Anna Quindlen (journalist and novelist)

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Baby Names: Meaning and Origin of the Name Laura

Feminine form of Latin Laurus, "laurel tree." Laura was a familiar name in England by the 12th century. In 1327, Petrarch caught sight of Laure de Noves in a church in Avignon. He maintained that seeing her made him a poet, and the famous sonnets Petrarch wrote for his beloved Laura immortalized the name. Laura was common in the 19th century but then receded until 1944, when it was in 119th place on the SSA list. That year the film Laura came out, in which actor Dana Andrews is mesmerized by the portrait of actress Gene Tierney, and use of the name revived. Between 1960 and 1989, it was again one of the 25 most common names for girls. It then began to diminish, and its 2005 ranking of 145th, with nearly 2,312 Lauras born, was its lowest ever.

Famous names: Laura Bush (first lady), Laura Dern (actress), Laura Ingalls Wilder (writer)

Nicknames: Laurie, Lori, Lorie, Lorrie, Lorry

Variations: Laure (French), Lauretta, Laurette (French), Laurice, Lavra (Czech and Greek), Lora (German), Loretta, Lorette, Lorita

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Baby Names: Meaning and Origin of the Name Lena

Usually a variation of Helen, but also a form of Arlene or Magdalena. Lena was one of the top 50 names of the 1890s and has had an extremely slow decline ever since. More than 600 girls were given the name in 2005, ranking it 477th.

Famous names: Lena Horne (singer and actress), Lena Olin (actress)

Other spellings: Leana, Lina

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Baby Names: Meaning and Origin of the Name Marie

This French variation of Mary has had some famous bearers throughout history, including the 16th-century Marie de Medicis, the queen regent of France, and Marie Antoinette, the ill-fated queen beheaded in the French Revolution. Marie Curie is one of the greatest scientists in history, having won the Nobel Prize in physics in 1903 and the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1911. In 2004, Marie was the number-one name for girls born in Germany. In the United States, Marie was one of the top ten first names for girls born between 1895 and 1914. It has steadily declined since and ranked only 507th in 2005, but it remains popular as a middle name.

Famous name: Marie Osmond (singer)

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Baby Names: Meaning and Origin of the Name Sophie

Variation of Sophia. Actress Bette Midler got her start in show business borrowing Sophie Tucker's jokes and voice, so it's no surprise that she honored her mentor by naming her daughter Sophie. In England and Wales, Sophie was among the top ten names for 2004. Sophie is also growing in popularity in the United States; in 2005 more than 2,300 girls were given the name, ranking it 134th.

Other spellings: Sofie, Sophy

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Baby Names: Meaning and Origin of the Name Alexander

Greek "defender of men." Alexander the Great was a Macedonian king and general who conquered vast amounts of territory around the Mediterranean and established an empire that spread Greek culture throughout the ancient world. For 700 years his name has been especially popular in Scotland, and it is enjoying a strong revival elsewhere, now being one of the 20 most popular names for boys in both England and the United States.

Famous names: Alexander Graham Bell (inventor of the telephone), Alexander Pope (poet)

Nicknames: Al, Alec, Alek, Alex, Sandy, Xander

Variations: Alastair (Gaelic), Alejandro (Spanish), Aleksander (Polish), Alessandro (Italian), Alexandr (Czech), Alexandre (French), Sandor (Hungarian)

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Baby Names: Meaning and Origin of the Name David

Hebrew Dodavehu, "darling or beloved of God"; originally a lullaby word. David fell below the American top ten list for boys in 1990 after being there for more than 50 years, but it was still 14th in 2005. In the Bible, David was the second king of Israel and the author of many of the Psalms. While he was still a boy, he killed the giant Goliath. Charles Dickens used the name for the title character of David Copperfield. David Duchovny, David Hasselhoff, David Hyde Pierce, and David Schwimmer are all actors who've made names for themselves on American television programs.

Famous names: David Letterman (late-night TV host), David Livingstone (explorer)

Nicknames: Dave, Davey

Variations: Davide (Italian), Davyd (Russian and Ukranian), Dawid (Polish and Yiddish), Dewey, Dovydas (Lithuanian), Taavetti (Finnish)

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Baby Names: Meaning and Origin of the Name Leon

Form of Leo. Parents with an ear for unusual music might like this name, which is shared by musicians Leon Redbone and Leon Russell.

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Baby Names: Meaning and Origin of the Name Maximilian

Latin Maximilianus, a diminutive of Maximus. The Romans bestowed the title Maximus on their great warriors. Ironically, St. Maximilian was martyred in the third century because he refused to be drafted into the Roman army. In France, Maximilien Robespierre was one of the leaders of the French Revolution. A few decades later, Austrian Archduke Maximilian was quite popular at home, but the Mexicans did not appreciate his being given the title of Emperor of Mexico by Napoleon, and they executed him. In 2005, more than 800 Maximilians were born in the United States, making it the 354th most popular boys name.

Famous name: Maximilian Schell (actor)

Nicknames: Mac, Mack, Max, Maxie, Maxy

Variations: Maksymilian (Polish and Ukrainian), Massimiliano (Italian), Maximiliano (Spanish), Maximilianus (Dutch), Maximilien (French), Miksa (Hungarian)

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Baby Names: Meaning and Origin of the Name Paul

Greek paulos, "small." St. Paul, a Jew who had persecuted Christians, became one of Christianity's most ardent advocates after his conversion. Through his epistles, Paul's presentation of Christian beliefs became one of the main foundations of the faith. Paul was also the name of six popes. Paul was not a common name in England before the 20th century, but it was very popular in Russia, Italy, Spain, and France. Painters Paul Cezanne, Paul Gauguin, and Paul Klee lent the name artistic roots, while the American Revolutionary hero Paul Revere gave the name stature in the United States. The name has been particularly popular among actors, including Paul Muni, Paul Newman, Paul Robeson, Paul Scofield, and Paul Winfield. Paul also seems to be a lucky name for biochemists recently: Paul Nurse was cowinner of the Nobel Prize in medicine in 2001, and Paul C. Lauterbur shared the same prize in 2003. Though the modern search for newer names and the reluctance to use one-syllable forms has led to a drop in Paul's use, it was still the 130th most common boys name given in the United States in 2005.

Famous names: Paul Harvey (commentator), Paul McCartney (musician)

Nickname: Paulie, Pava (Russian)

Variations: Paal (Estonian), Paavo (Finnish), Pablo (Spanish), Pal (Hungarian, Scots Gaelic, and Swedish), Paolo (Italian), Pau (Catalan), Paulo (Portuguese), Paulos (Greek), Paulus (Latin and Dutch), Paval (Bulgarian and Slovenian), Pavao (Serbo-Croatian), Pavel (Czech and Russian), Pavlo (Ukrainian), Pawel (Polish), Pol (Irish Gaelic), Polo (Italian), Poul (Danish), Povilas (Lithuanian), Powell

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Cleveland Kent Evans, Ph.D., is one of the foremost experts on name usage in the United States. His current work on given names involves personality, social psychology, history, and popular culture.